Who's Singin' Over There?

On a Saturday in early April 1941, just before Yugoslavia is drawn into war, a colorful crowd climbs aboard an aging bus in the Serbian countryside and heads for Belgrade. The passengers come from different corners of life: two Romani musicians whose tunes keep the mood light, a World War I veteran who still sees the world through a soldier’s lens, a man enamored with Germany and its mythic power, a hopeful young singer chasing a chance to perform, a frail passenger who seems to fade with every mile, and a hunter gripping a shotgun as a precaution. The bus belongs to Krstic senior and is steered by his impressionable son Misko, who fumbles more than he handles the wheel. What starts as a simple ride becomes a crowded microcosm of a country on the edge where humor and anxiety collide.

Released in 1980, the film was directed by Slobodan Sijan with a screenplay by Dušan Kovacevic. It draws on Kovacevic's stage sensibilities and Balkan storytelling and uses a spare budget to keep the focus on character and conversation.

Box office data for this title isn't widely published; it remains a touchstone of former Yugoslav cinema. The film's enduring appeal rests on its ensemble and its blend of wit and tension rather than grosses.

Over the years it has become a cult favorite across the region, frequently cited as a standout example of how a roadside ensemble can mirror a society. The cast delivers a lively mix of personalities and the clashes between misfits reveal social fault lines without preaching. Its humor, timing, and bittersweet mood have produced quotable lines and scenes that have leached into pop culture and casual conversations.

Critics praised the direction for keeping a brisk pace as the group shifts from comedy to something heavier without losing its humanity. The film examines fate and chance, the fragility of ordinary life under the shadow of war, and how communities fold and reconfigure under pressure. By anchoring history in intimate moments, it invites audiences to laugh while facing uneasy truths.